J Breast Cancer.  2014 Dec;17(4):393-396. 10.4048/jbc.2014.17.4.393.

Ductal Carcinoma Arising from Ectopic Breast Tissue Following Microcalcification Observed on Screening Mammography: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Surgery, Breast Cancer Center, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, Daegu, Korea. phy123@knu.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Radiology, Breast Cancer Center, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, Daegu, Korea.
  • 3Department of Pathology, Breast Cancer Center, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, Daegu, Korea.
  • 4Dr. Lim's Breast Clinic, Daegu, Korea.

Abstract

Ectopic breast tissue can occur anywhere along the incompletely regressed mammary ridge. Among the various types of breast choristoma, ectopic breast tissue, which has only glandular tissue without a nipple or areola, is most commonly detected in axillary areas. However, ectopic breast cancer is often not detected until significant clinical symptoms have been revealed, or diagnosis is delayed. Furthermore, an examination of ectopic breast tissue tends to be omitted from a screening mammography. Especially, the microcalcifications of ectopic breast tissue are difficult to delineate on mammography. Herein, the authors report a case of ectopic breast carcinoma that showed clustered microcalcifications on screening mammography, and discuss the interpretation and implications of microcalcification in ectopic breast tissue.

Keyword

Breast; Calcification; Choristoma

MeSH Terms

Breast Neoplasms
Breast*
Carcinoma, Ductal*
Choristoma
Diagnosis
Mammography*
Mass Screening*
Nipples

Figure

  • Figure 1 Mammographic findings of ectopic breast cancer. (A) Aberrant breast tissue with clustered microcalcifications (dot circle) is detected on right axilla. (B) Magnified mammographic image of ectopic breast tissue with microcalcifications. A clustered microcalcification is well observed on ectopic breast tissue. (C) Mammographic findings of removed breast tissue. Multifocal microcalcification is apparent in two separately removed ectopic breast tissue specimens.

  • Figure 2 Histopathologic findings of ectopic breast carcinoma. (A) Ductal epithelial proliferative lesion with multiple foci of necrosis and microcalcification is noted (H&E stain, ×20). (B) The tumor cells show moderate to high degree of nuclear atypia characteristic of high-grade ductal carcinoma in situ. Microcalcification is well observed in the tumor cell nests (H&E stain, ×100).


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